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Today is the perfect day to share a Highlight Film. It’s cold and rainy out, but I’m warm and cozy inside with coffee and excitement. I just finished Logan & Clark’s Film and it’s one of my absolute favorites. Not because of anything specific to their wedding video or the cinematography, but because of them. I’m lucky to have grown to know them, due in large part to the process of creating their Engagement Film (if you haven’t seen it you seriously need to click here). It’s a new friendship, but one that has allowed me a deeper appreciation for being present at their wedding, for seeing the supportive community of family and friends celebrate their unity, and for having a glimpse into their adventure ahead.

Logan & Clark prepared and dressed for their wedding in their beautiful home in Lexington. Darcy, their Westie, told me it was going to be a wild party that night and that I should help keep her owners in-check (she makes a cameo at 0:22). I made her no promises. Prior to the ceremony, Gratz Park provided the backdrop for pictures of the family and wedding party. The colors of the changing Fall leaves had me captivated and I used the resulting footage to start their film. It was also the spot that we snuck back to after the ceremony for some golden-hour sunset footage.

Both the ceremony and reception took place downtown at ArtsPlace, a nice & easy 100 yard walk from the park. The food (Selma’s Catering & Events; Martine’s Pastries) was fantastic and the band (Music City Rhythm Revue) knew exactly what they were doing: They covered Prince’s 1999 perfectly... to the point of having my non-existent booty shaking (though embarrassingly bad, compared to the dance skills of their guests).

I want to wish Logan & Clark the absolute best as they continue on their path as husbands. Thank you so much for trusting me to create your films. I can't wait to see what you accomplish together!

Jolene and Ken had a beautiful "destination wedding" in southern Arizona this summer. From Phoenix, they wanted to get away somewhere different (but close) to create their wedding memories. They ended up picking some of the best venues the Tucson area has to offer. The ceremony was at St. Augustine Cathedral is in the heart of downtown Tucson, which is always a pleasure to film at. The Spanish Colonial style adds a rustic romance to the Catholic ceremonies that is hard to match on the west coast. Preparations and the reception were at the J.W. Marriott at Starr Pass, which is nestled up in the mountains just west of the city. If you'd like to see cactus no matter which way you look, stay at the J.W. Marriott at Starr Pass.

Now gorgeous venues are important, but it's the atmosphere created by family & friends is what makes it a wedding. I had a blast getting to know members of their wedding party (many of whom are a hoot) and the reception had everybody on their feet. You can't really beat a choreographed first dance with confetti canons. Having an awesome vendor team definitely helps to ensure the day goes off without a hitch, and it was a pleasure working along side Lori O'toole Photography and all the awesome guys at Satyr Entertainment.

I’ve been holding onto this post for quite a while now, and finally being able to share it makes me go, “BOOYEAH!” Please just picture me saying that in the coolest, least embarrassing way possible. We didn’t want any of Logan & Clark’s guests to accidentally see their Engagement Film on my social media page before having the full experience of seeing it on their wedding website. Now that all of the RSVP’s are in and their wedding is THIS SATURDAY, I’m sharing this puppy!

I worked with Logan and Clark from spring into summer to conceive and create their Engagement Film. After meeting with them and getting to know their personalities, a Ferris Bueller-esque, breaking the 4th wall sequence popped into my head. I pitched them the idea, hoping it wasn’t too off the wall for their tastes, and it wasn’t. In the following months we worked on a script, storyboard, and production schedule to make things come alive.

Hey, don't laugh at my drawings. So long as they convey the framing that's all that matters!

Shot list & production schedule

Shooting and filming everything was an absolute blast. Lots of bloopers, snacks, and wine would be a good way to sum up the weekend of filming. I was a one-man crew for this shoot (with the exception of my wife, Rebecca, who drove her car while I stood out her sunroof with the Movi. Thanks babe!). There’s certainly a reason you have a larger crew for narrative work. Doing all the of the lighting, camera operation, sound, and directing at the same time was tricky, but I'm glad I was able to pull it off. The first day of shooting was a long day, but not nearly as arduous as the production schedule makes it seem (again, see reference to snacks & wine). Some cool BTS shots:

Part of the Engagement Film commission included a custom website to showcase it. All of the relevant information for their wedding was also included on the site that I built for them (ceremony location & time, links to hotel accommodations, activities in and around Lexington, Kentucky, and an RSVP form).

Their Wedding Website

Perhaps my favorite thing about Engagement Films (apart from how fun they are to create), is that in the process I learn so much about the couples I work with. I see Logan & Clark as friends first and clients second, and getting to know them and their relationship will be invaluable in creating their wedding film after this weekend. Stay tuned for their Highlight Film!

~Carl

A big thanks to Michler’s for letting us film on their grounds & in their greenhouse!

I’m sitting here in a coffee shop attempting to write about Ben & Alex, and I just don’t know where to start. It's not due to having a lack of things to say, but perhaps due to having too many. I met them serendipitously in Starbucks one day, told them I was a wedding filmmaker, and gave them my card. They left saying they would give my website a look, and to my surprise, it wasn’t twenty minutes later that they returned, informed me they watched my films from the car, and hired me. My Americano tasted especially good that day.

Flash forward to the wedding. Their venue, Warrenwood manor in Danville, Kentucky, is absolutely picturesque. Imagine a historic home and barn surrounded by green pastures and rolling hills. The pics below are just a glimpse, so watch their film to see what I mean.

Their personalities were infused in everything. Alex's cuff links read "Ravenclaw." Their processional song? John Williams’ Jurrasic Park theme song. The recessional? “Everything is Awesome” from The Lego Movie. Dinner? Chicken & waffles, muffins, bacon-wrapped hotdogs, and an assortment of other bite-sized finger foods (made delicious by Cue on Main). It was one of the most beautifully unique weddings I’ve ever been to, and I wouldn’t have expected anything less knowing how Alex proposed to Ben. I think a big shout-out is in order to OkCupid for bringing these two together.

I am also incredibly proud to have been a part of another same-sex wedding. As my first wedding in a state that has received a lot of negative publicity on the matter, I would be remiss not to openly celebrate it. It’s been wonderful to see Ben & Alex and so many others openly acknowledge and affirm their love for one another. As a wedding vendor I get to see the march toward marriage equality on the ground level, and yet despite recent milestones there is still a long way to go: I see couples struggle to find vendors who aren’t ambiguously “unavailable”; I see vendor timelines with zero effort put into making them appropriate for a gay or same-sex wedding (e.g. still showing a “Bride and Groom Entrance”); I see vendors omit pictures and any evidence that they worked a LGBT wedding from their social media pages. Couples shouldn’t fear rejection when they inquire with me or with anyone else and they shouldn’t feel as if they’re treated differently. I hope this can one day become a reality.

To Ben & Alex: I’m confident the future has a lot of wonderful things in store for you both – traveling abroad, discovering new TV shows & board games, and perhaps a couple new Harry Potter books (eeek!). I wish you the most amazing adventures in your new life together as a married couple!

You know that feeling you have when things feel just right? That’s the feeling I had after grabbing coffee and having my initial consultation with Shaida and Michael. I recall sipping my Americano and thinking to myself how fun and easy they were to talk to. I especially remember them describing their work load as med students (and having to balance that with planning a wedding – not easy!), which made me incredibly thankful I was not in med school. Now I’m definitely not bashing on med school; I’m just saying I’m not a masochist . In all seriousness though, if it weren’t for med school at the University of Arizona these two would not be together! Thus the hashtag #medschooltomolloys. So, awesome careers plus awesome relationship = med school was a really good decision. Also, part of the deal in hiring me was that they provide me with free healthcare for life. I call it MolloyCare for short. Full disclosure: I stole that joke from one of the Best Men, Andrew. Credit where credit is due.

Filming their wedding exceeded my expectations, both in how beautiful everything was and in how enjoyable it was to work with Shaida, Michael, and their families. Shaida’s little sister, Shelia was a hoot (more on her later) and Michael’s little brother Evan gave me flashbacks when he talked about the “Thunderdome” of growing up in a household with all boys (I grew up with three brothers myself. I still remember us gluing lamps and other items back together and hoping mom would never notice). I am confident Shaida is going to inject some much needed civility and frontal lobe development into the Molloy Thunderdome. I also loved seeing the special gifts Shaida gave to both her mother and mother-in-law:

Seeing the reaction of Michael’s mom, I know she is so thankful to have Shaida as her new daughter. My time with couples is inherently limited, so I love seeing interactions like these with family members. Each time I learn a little bit more about the couple and the insights they grant can be incredibly helpful in choosing which path to take in creating their films.

Regarding the details of everything, this was an exquisitely gorgeous wedding. I’m a guy and so I can’t really comment on wedding dresses, but I do know that I really liked Shaida’s a lot. To me it had a classic aesthetic in a contemporary design:

And the venue (Villa Siena) was a videographer’s dream. Despite being in the middle of Gilbert, Arizona, it really looks like something transplanted out of Tuscany:

Their planner, Rackel Gehlsen, really did a fantastic job organizing and coordinating the wedding – attention to detail is so key if you want your wedding to run smoothly.

Throughout the entire day Shaida's younger sister, Sheila, was a fun bubble of energy. I loved her unique personality, and her penchant for performance and flair came to a culminating display at the reception. Now, I have seen a lot of creative and thoughtful wedding speeches, but this one takes the cake as the most epic. All you Disney Frozen fanatics will enjoy this:

The guys at Awesoos also deserve an honorable mention for allowing me to create the gem below with my assistant videographer, Matt. I do love a good photo booth.

To conclude: Shaida and Michael have an awesome relationship, they had an amazing wedding, and I hope I was able to capture as much in their film. Thank you so much for hiring me, you two!